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CASE: PROFILE OF TWO VISIONARIES-
BILL GATES & STEVJOBS
Two people, who gave their hearts and souls for developing their visions, have driven
the personal computer revolution. However, the way in which each of these men went about
thisquest has been different.Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have changed the way the world does
business, but the stories of their Leadership styles are even more compelling than the
success spawned Apple and Microsoft.Gates and Jobs: The Early Years Bill Gates started
developing his computer skills with hischildhood friend Paul Allen at Lakeside School in Seattle.
At the age of 14, the two had formedtheir first computer company. After high school, Allen and
Gates left Settle for Boston. Gateswas off to Harvard and Allen began working for Honeywell.
After only two years at Harvard,Gates and gang Allen left Boston for Albuquerque to develop a
computer language for the newAltair 8080 personal computer.This computer language would
become BASIC and was the foundation for Microsoft, which wascreated as a partnership in
1975. After five years in New Mexico, Microsoft relocated toBellevue, Washington in 1980 with
BASIC and two other computer languages (COBOL andFORTRAN) in its arsenal. Later that
year, IBN began developing its first PC and was in need of an operation system. Microsoft
developed the Microsoft Disk Operation System (MS-DOS) for IBN while two other companies
created competing system. Gates determination and persuasionof other software firms to develop
programs for MS-DOS made it the default IBN platform.As Microsoft became more successful,
Gates realized that he needed help managing Microsoft.His enthusiasm, vision, and hard work
were the driving force behind the company’s growth, buthe recognized the need for
professional management. Gates brought in another one of his friendsfrom Harvard, Steve
Ballmer. Ballmer had worked for Proctor & Gamble after graduating fromHarvard and was
pursuing his MBA at Stanford University. Gates persuaded Ballmer to leaveschool and join
Microsoft. Over the years, Ballmer has become an indispensable asset to bothGates and
Microsoft.In 1983, gates continued to show his brilliance by hiring Jon Shirley who brought
order toMicrosoft and streamlined the organizational structure, while Ballmer served as an
advisor and sounding board for Gates. Microsoft continued to grow and prosper in the 1990s and
Gates became the richest man in the world with Microsoft dominating the operating system
market andthe office suite software market with Microsoft Office.Gates recognized that his role
was to be the visionary of the company, but that he neededProfessional managers to run the
operations of Microsoft. He combined his unyieldingdetermination and passion with a well-
structured management team to make Microsoft the giantit is today.The other visionary, Steve
Jobs, and his friend Steve Wosniak started Apple Computer in Job’sgarage in Los Altos,
California in 1976. In contrast to bill Gates, Jobs and Wosniak werehardware experts and started
with the vision for a personal computer that was affordable andeasy to use. When Microsoft
offered BASIC to Apple, Jobs immediately dismissed the idea onthe basis that he and

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Wosniak could create their own version of BASIC in a weekend. This wastypical Jobs: decisive
and almost maniacal at times. However, Jobs eventually agreed to licenseMicrosoft’s BASIC
while pursuing his vision of developing a more usable and friendly interfacefor the PC.Jobs, seen
by some as the anti- Gates, is a trailblazer and a creator as opposed to Gates who isMore of a
consolidator of industry standards. Job’s, whose goal was to change the world with
hisComputers, was very demanding of his employees. Jobs were not a hard- core
computer programmer, but he sold the idea of the personal computer to the public. He changed
thedirection of Apple by developing the Macintosh (Mac) that used a new Graphical User
Interface(GUI) that introduced the world to the mouse and on- screen icons. With all this
success, therewas a major problem developing at Apple: Steve Jobs was overconfident and did
not see Gatesand Microsoft as a serious threat to Apple.Soon after the release of the Macintosh
computer, Jobs asked Microsoft to develop software for the Mac operating system. Gates obliged
and proceeded to launch a project copying andimproving Apple’s user interface. The result of
this venture was what Microsoft Windows became. Jobs cocky attitude and the lack of
management skill contributed to Apple’s problems. He never Bothered to develop budgets and
neglected his relationship with his employees. Wosniak leftApple due to differences with Jobs.
In 1985, John Scully, formerly CEO of PepsiCo, was hired toreplace Steve Jobs as president
and CEO of Apple Computers. Differences between Scully andJobs developed which eventually
resulted in the dismissal of Jobs.Microsoft and Apple at the turn of the Century: An Industry
Giant and a Revitalized Leader Withthe success of Windows, the Office application suite, and
the Internet Explore, Microsoft has become a household name and Bill Gates has been hailed as
a business genius. The fact thatMicrosoft’s competitors, the press, and the US Justice
Department have called Microsoft amonopoly reinforces Gate’s determination to succeed.
Some people even questioned whether Microsoft can survive the Justice Department’s
decision. But Bill Gates has shown that he is themaster of adapting to changing market
conditions and technologies.In the 1990s, apple went in the opposite direction. The outdated
operating system and fallingMarket share eventually led to a decrease in software development
for the Mac. Somethingneeded to be done.in1998 Steve jobs returned to apple as the ³interim´
CEO. His vision, onceagain, result in an innovative product: the iMac. In the 80s he creative the
simple-to-operateMacintosh to attract people who were using IBM PCs and there are clones.
Now he developed asimple, stylish, and internet ± friendly computer that added some much
needed excitement to the computer market. Jobs had also changed as a manager and a leader.
He had matured and looked to his professional staff for advice and ideas. The Mac is an
expression of his creativity and appleas a whole is an expression of Steve, leading to continuing
the success for apple and renewed battle between Gates and jobs.Gates and jobs in 2006 bill
gates, one of the richest men, has also become one of the biggest charitable givers. He and his
wife Linda have donated some $31 billion to philanthropic causes. When BILL gates read the
World Development Report by the World Bank, he realized that he could improve the health of
people in poor countries by supplying drugs and treatment. The Bill and Melinda gates

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foundation also provides scholarships for students with different background. While gate’s is
very much in philanthropy, Microsoft is preparing the new windows Vista which helps users in
enhancing their computing experience. Steve jobs career also took some interesting turns. After
he was fired by Scully (the person he hired), he started a company called next and Pixar, the firm
that created the first computer animated feature film. When apple gotinto trouble, job was
rehired, doing some amazing things. When he was diagnosed with cancer-which fortunately
could be successfully treated-his outlook on life changed.In 2005 commencement address at
Stanford University he said: ³Because almost everything- allexternal expectations, all pride, all
fear of embarrassment or failure- these things just fall away inthe face of death, leaving only
what is truly important.´22 in 2006, jobs can look back at somegreat accomplishments. Under his
leadership, apple is coming back with exciting new productssuch as computers and bestselling
iPods: the Nano and the video. Now, the pundits arewondering, what will be Steve’s next
innovation?
Questions:-
1. Compare and contrast the careers of Bill Gates and jobs.
2. Compare and contrast the leadership style and managerial practices of Gates and jobs.
3. What do you think about the future of Microsoft and apple Computers?